County of Maui offices to resume normal operations on Aug. 18; Eddie Tam to transition to charging station

Update: 3:30 p.m. Aug. 17

• County of Maui offices and services will resume normal operations on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Storm Update

As Tropical Storm Lala continues moving west of the main Hawaiian Islands, the National Weather Service, Flood Watch for Maui County expired overnight. Lala on Saturday brought hurricane-force winds — gusts of 85 mph in Olowalu and 82 mph in Ukumehame – along with heavy rain and flooding. The Upcountry area was hit with many large, downed trees that toppled power lines and damaged infrastructure. Thousands remain without power in areas of Kula, Hāʻikū, Olinda and Piʻiholo, along with parts of West, Central and South Maui. Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and other County departments and sections conducted preliminary damage assessments via air and ground.

County Closures

• At the directive of Gov. Josh Green, all County of Maui offices on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi are closed Monday, Aug. 17. Only essential personnel will report to work.
• For updates on County Department of Parks and Recreation parks and facilities impacted by Lala, visit mauicounty.gov/parks and scroll to Tropical Storm Lala: Updates on Park and Facility Closures. Locations not on the list are open.
• Molokaʻi-Nāʻiwa Landfill and Recycling Center and Lānaʻi Landfill were closed on Aug. 15 due to high winds causing unsafe operating conditions. The landfills are expected to reopen for regular hours at 8 a.m. on Aug. 18.

Shelters

Shelters provide cots, food and water. Bring bedding, medications and other essential items. Individuals with dietary restrictions should plan accordingly. Pets are allowed only if they are secured in crates or cages.

Open Aug. 17:

• The County charging station and American Red Cross shelter at Eddie Tam in Makawao will close at 8 p.m., Monday, Aug. 17. It will reopen on Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. solely as a charging station, or temporary service site, for powering devices and connecting to WiFi via Starlink.

Closed Aug. 17:

• Closed at 11 a.m.: Hāna: Hāna High & Elementary School Cafeteria, 4111 Hāna Highway

Water Conservation Advisory

Department of Water Supply (DWS) is advising residents and visitors in West Maui to conserve water until power is fully restored. Limiting nonessential water use will help maintain water service reliability as service is restored following storm-related power outages. Sign up for DWS News Flash notifications at https://www.mauicounty.gov/list.aspx.

Water Outage

Four DWS drinking water tanks are positioned at 1222 Olinda Road; one at Pi’iholo Road; two at Ehu Road; one at Alaluana Road; and one at Haleakala Acres on Crater Road. DWS reported a water service outage in the Olinda / Pi’iholo areas of Upcountry as of 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15.

Power Outages

Hawaiian Electric Co. widespread power outages are occurring. Learn Maui County outages by phone at 1(855) 304-8181 (toll free) and from HECO Maui County Outage Map at www.heco.com.

Radio

For County storm updates, tune in to Pacific Media Group radio stations: KPOA 93.5 FM; DaJam 98.3 FM; ESPN Maui 102.5 FM / 900 AM; HI92 Maui; 99.9 Kiss FM; K Country 106.1 FM / 550 AM.

County Cancellations

• East Maui Water Authority’s ‘Aha Wai O Maui Hikina Board meeting, set for 8/17 in Kula, is cancelled.
• Office of the Mayor’s annual Holomua Kākou talk-story gathering and drop-in centers on Lānaʻi slated for 8/17-18, is cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Road Closures

For updates on County road closures, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/roadclosures or download the Genasys Protect app at mauicounty.gov/MEMA.

Damage Assessments

Residents and businesses are encouraged to report storm damage to private property through Crisis Track on https://mauirecovers.org. Reports help the County document damage and support recovery efforts. Submitting a report does not provide direct assistance to individuals or businesses, but it helps the County document the full extent of storm damage. Damage to public roads, infrastructure or County-managed areas should be reported through https://tinyurl.com/mauicountylala. For help completing a damage assessment, call Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at (808) 270-7285.

County Response

Mayor Richard Bissen signed an emergency proclamation Aug. 13 that lets the County access state and federal assistance and streamline procedures to quickly deploy resources, personnel and services if needed. The County Emergency Operations Center went into full activation as of 6 a.m. Aug. 15. County departments since Aug. 12 had been preparing for storm impacts by inspecting and clearing infrastructure, positioning equipment and up-staffing for emergency response.

More information

For the latest information, visit NWS in Honolulu at https://www.weather.gov/hfo/and subscribe to Genasys Protect and MEMA alerts at mauicounty.gov/MEMA.